Torpedo-holder



C. 0. STANLEY.

TORPEDO. HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED MA.Y 24, 1919.

Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

Eve/Won ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT oEEroE.

CHARLES O. STANLEY, 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNGR 0F FIFTY-FIVE PERCENT. TO GEORGE A. STRICKER, 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

TORPEDO-HOLDER.

Application filed May 24, 1919.

To all whom 2'2, may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES O. STANLEY, a citizen of-the United States,residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of- New York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Torpedo-Holders, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved torpedo holder whereby torpedoesare held on a rail of a railway track, so that when the wheels of alocomotive or car run over the same, a detonation will be produced whichwill serve as a signal for the trainmen.

It is the purpose of this invention to produce a holder of thischaracter which is very simple and inexpensive in construction, capableof being quickly and easily applied to the rail and which will permitthe wheels of a locomotive or car to run over the same and discharge thetorpedo with certainty and without liability of the torpedo holder beingdisplaced from its operative position when these wheels run over thesame in either direction of the rail.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a perspective view of thepreferred form of my improved torpedo holder applied to a section of arail. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same, on anenlarged scale.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in bothviews.

The form of rail to which my improved torpedo holder is particularlyapplicable comprises a horizontal base 3, a longitudinal stem or web 4rising from the central part of this base, and an enlarged head 5arranged at the upper end of the stem.

My improved torpedo holder comprises a longitudinal presser or runningbar 6 which is preferably constructed of a strip of resilient material,such as sheet steel, and is bent or curved in substantially bow-form sothat its central part is higher than its opposite ends 7, 7. The latterare preferably beveled so that upon placing this presser bar on top of arail its ends will engage with the top of the rail and form jointstherewith which lead over gradually from the top of the rail to theupper side of the presser bar and thus avoid the formation of any abruptshoulders or obstructions between these parts, as shown in Fig. 1.

8 represents a cross piece which is also Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Feb. 1'7, 1920.

Serial No. 299,601.

preferably constructed of sheet metal and secured with its central partto the underside of the central part of the presser bar by means ofrivets 10, 10, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or by any other suitablemeans. One end of this cross piece is provided with a downwardly andinwardly -projecting hook 9 which is adapted to engage underneath thehead of the rail 011 one side thereof, thereby retaining the holderagainst upward movement and also against lateral motion with referenceto the rail. .The opposite end of the cross piece is provided with adownwardly-projecting arm 11 which is arranged along the opposite sideof the head of the rail,the lower end of this arm being provided with anupwardly projecting finger 12 which is formed by reversely bending thelower part of this arm. The cross piece, together with its hook, arm andfinger, is preferably constructed from a single piece of metal. Thelower part of the arm and the adjacent part ofthe finger are providedwith coinciding screw threaded openings 13, 14. These screw threadedopenings receive the externally screw threaded shank 15 of a clampingscrew which is adapted to engage its inner end with the stem or web ofthe rail underneath the head thereof opposite that side which is engagedby the hook 9. The outer end of this clamping screw is provided with afinger piece or head 16 for permitting the same to be turned by handalthough this may be accomplished in any other suitable manner.

Underneath the central parts of the cross piece and the presser bar isarranged a retaining cap or cup 17 which is preferably constructed ofsheet metal and secured to these parts of the cross piece and thepresser bar by the same rivets 10 which connect the presser bar andcross piece. Between the cavity on the underside of this cap and the topof the rail is arranged the torpedo 18 which is to be retained on therail and to be exploded by the pressure of the locomotive or carwheelsrunning over the same and thus serves as a signal for the operatives tobe on their guard. By means of the annular flange of this cap whichembraces the torpedo, the latter is reliably retained in position on thetop of the rail head, so that the torpedo is not liable to be shaken offfrom the rail due to vibration as the locomotive or cars approach thetorpedo holder from either direction, thereby insuring giving a signalto the trainmen.

' Owing to the fact that the opposite ends of the presser bar hug or fitthe top of the rail head very closely, so that practically a flush jointis produced between the same, it is possible for the wheels of thelocomotive or cars to run ontothe presser bar and explode the torpedowithout any danger of paratively low cost. The means for attaching thisholder are also very simple andiinexpensive and permit of accomplishingthis quickly and easily. Furthermore, by engaging-the clamping screwwith the corresponding threaded openings formed in the are and thereversely bent finger of the cross piece, an effective screw connectionis obtained between the cross piece and the clamping screw without theuse of a separatescrew nut for this purpose. The reslli'ence of thefinger 12 relative to the arm 11' also serves to hold the clamping screwsecurely against turning,,so that the torpedo. holder when applied to arail will not be liable to be displaced by vibrations of the track,thereby insuring proper retention of the torpedo holder on the rail andwarning the trainmen at the proper time.

I claim as myinvention:

1. A railway torpedo holder comprising a longitudinal upwardly curvedpresser bar which in its operative position is adapted to rest at itsopposite ends on the upper side of the rail while its central part iselevated above the same and extends over a torpedo placed on the rail,and means for attaching said presser bar to the rail.

2. A railway torpedo holder comprising a longitudinal upwardly curvedpresser bar which in its operative position is adapted to rest at itsopposite ends on the upper side of the rail while its central part iselevated above the same and extends over a torpedo placed on the rail,means for attaching said presser bar to the rail comprising a crosspiece secured with its central partto the central part of said presserbar and providedat one end with a downwardly and inwardly projectinghook which is adapted to engage underneath the rail head on one sidethereof, and a clamping screw mounted on the otherend of saidcross'piece and-adapted to engage the rail underneath its head on theopposite side thereof.

3. A railway torpedo holder comprising a longitudinal upwardly curvedpresser bar which in its operative position is adapted to rest at itsopposite ends on the upper side 0 the rail while its central part iselevated above the same and extends over a torpedo placed on'the rail,means for attaching said presser bar to the rail comprising a crosspiece secured with its central part to the central part of said presserbar and provided at one end with a downwardly and inwardly projectinghook which is adapted to engage underneath the rail head on one sidethereof and provided at its opposite end with a downwardly projectingarm which has its extremity'bent reversely in the form of a 7 finger,said arm and finger'being provided with coinciding screw threadedopenings, and a clamping screw engaging said threaded openings andadapted to engage the rail underneath its head on the opposite sidethereof. V V

4. Arailway torpedo holder comprising a longitudinal upwardly curvedpresser bar which in it's operative position is adapted to rest at itsopposite ends on the upper side ofthe rail while its central part iselevated above thesame and eXtendsover a torpedo placed on the rail,means for attaching said presser bar to the rail, and a cap connectedwith the underside of said presser bar'and adapted to receivea-tor'pedo.

5. A railway torpedo holder comprising a longitudinal upwardly curvedpresser bar which in its operative position is adapted to rest at itsopposite ends on the'upperside of the rail whileits central part-iselevated above the same and extends over a torpedo placed on the railmeans for attaching said presser bar to the rail comprising a crosspiece secured with its central part to the central part. of said presserbar and provided at one endwith a downwardly and inw'ardly projectinghook which is adapted to engage underneath the rail head on onesidethereof, a clamping screw mounted onthe other end of said cross pieceand adapted to engage the rail underneath its head on the opposite sidethereof, and a cap securedto'the under CHARLES o. STANLEY.

